Melodie Henderson

“She is a great musician – vocally, at the keyboard, and as a conductor… I would not hesitate to put her in the category of ‘seasoned professional,’ though she is still young, energetic, and ‘hip.’” (Dr. Paul Broomhead, BYU School of Music)

Melodie Henderson is the founder and artistic director of The Collaborative Choir, a group of talented singers and composers based in Arlington, VA who perform both new works of their composers-in-residence and favorite pieces selected by singers in the choir. Ms. Henderson is also currently the choir director at Thomas A. Edison High School in Alexandria, VA.

As a conductor, Ms. Henderson garners praise from adjudicators and clinicians for her clear conducting and musical sensitivity. She holds a Masters in Conducting from George Mason University, where she was privileged to sing with and conduct the GMU jazz choir (Soundcheque) as well as the National Philharmonic Chorale in Bethesda, MD. In addition, she frequently directs local church choirs for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and leads large youth and adult church choirs for two or three regional Church conferences each year. She has also served as the guest conductor for the Mormon Orchestra of Washington, D.C., and as a guest clinician for high school choirs in the Northern Virginia area.

She studied conducting with Stan Engebretson and Lisa Billingham at GMU (M.M. ’13), and with Ronald Staheli and Rosalind Hall at BYU (B.M. ’05, magna cum laude). Her principal voice teachers have included Ruth Christiansen, Clayne Robison, and Christina Lynn-Craig. She is an active member of NAfME, VMEA, and ACDA, and serves as the R&S Chair for Ethnic and Multicultural Perspectives for VA-ACDA.